Makar

The term is simply a Scots form for poet or bard.  There is some suggestion of "official" as in appointment to the Royal Court in ages past but it is only in recent times that there has been an official "Scottish Makar".  Edwin Morgan was the 1st appointee and with his death recently the title has now been conferred  on Liz Lochead. This is the Wikipedia entry for Makar.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makar